Time-instrument signal-mechanism



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@ct & W35 A. B. PQQLE TIME INSTRUMENT SIGNAL MECHANISM Filed May 5, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l mm aw 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. B. POOLE TIME INSTRUMENT 'SIGNAL MECHANISM Filed May 5, 1933 Patented Oct. 8, 1935 PATENT OFFICE TIME-INSTRUMENT SIGNAL-MECHANISM Arthur B. Poole, Bristol, Conn., assignor to The E. Ingtaham Company, Bristol, Conn, a corporation Application May 5, 1933, Serial No. 669,474

9 Claims.

This invention relates to signals for time-instruments and more particularly to signals for indicating the interruption of electric power to electrically-driven time-instruments.

One object of this invention is to provide sensitive signal-mechanism adapted to be controlled by current from the source which actuates the electric drive motor of the time-instrument.

Another object of the invention is to provide signal-mechanism including a pivoted armature adapted to be electromagnetically controlled by alternating current from the source which actuates the electric drive motor of the time-instrument, with the construction such that the direction of electromagnetic pull on the arm does not cause the armature to produce any humming sound.

The above and other objects will appear from the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification.

In the accompanying drawings, in which certain ways of carrying out the invention are shown for illustrative purposes:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation with part of the dial broken away, of a lower, central portion of a clock embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional View on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a face view on line 3--3 of Fig. 2, of the lower portion of the clock movement;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 1 with the signal in indicating position;

Fig. 5 is an extended perspective view of the signal-member and signal-control member; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of a push-member for resetting the signal.

The clock It] comprises a frame H including a cross-support l2 provided with a hole I3. Secured against the front of the cross-support l2, by screws of any suitable means, is a dial-plate I4, to which are secured the pillars .I 5 which support and connect the two movement-plates l6 and H.

A dial I8 is secured in front of the dial-plate l4 in any suitable way. The synchronous electric motor I!) is secured to the rear movementplate IT. The field-coils 26 and 2| of the motor encircle and energize the member 22 formed of laminated plates of iron or the like which are preferably provided with magnetic extensionor pole-pieces 23 and 24, fairly close to the rear of the lower portion of the movement-plate IT to form an electromagnet.

A shaft 25 is pivoted in the movement-plates l6 and I! and. has secured to it an armature 26 of iron or the like and alatch 21 to form a signalcontrol member. The armature 26 preferably has its left end 28 larger and heavier than the right end 29, as shown. When electric current is actuating the motor of the clock and energizing the .5 electromagnet, the pole-pieces 23 and 24 normally hold the armature 26 in the position indicated in Figs. 1 and 3. Also, pivoted in the movementplates I 6 and I! is a pivot-shaft 30, which may be extended through the clock, preferably to the rear, 10 to have a finger-grip portion 3|. Secured to the shaft 30 is a signal-member 32, whose outer end 33 normally rests upon the latch 21 and has a transverse extension 34 extending through the hole 35 in the front movement-plate l6 and carrying a signal 36 having an indicating-portion 31 which may have a suitable color, such as red.

When the electric current which passes through the electromagnet and actuates the motor l9 fails, the pole-pieces 23 and 24 and the armature 26 lose their magnetism and the heavy end 28 of the armature causes the latter to rotate about its pivot until the lower edge 38 contacts with the stop-member 39, which latter is preferably formed as a struck-out portion of the rear movement- 25 plate l6. When this happens, the latch 21 swings out from under the end 33 of the signal-member 32, resulting in the latter swinging downwardly about its pivot-shaft until the extension-portion 34 of the signal-member 32 contacts with the 30 lower edge 40 of the hole of the front movement-plate l6, thus resulting in the red indicating-portion 31 of the signal 36 coming to indicating position opposite the hole 4| in the dial 3 and the hole 42 in the dial-plate I4.

When the current is again restored in the electric circuit to the motor including the electromagnet, the poles 23 and 24 of the electromagnet become energized and act upon the armature 26 to again swing it to the latching position indicated in Figs. 1 and 3.

The signal-member 32 does not automatically return to its latched position, however, but remains in swung-down position (Fig. 4). To reset the signal, the signal-member 32 is swung up- 45 wardly about its pivot-shaft 36 to cause the bevel or cam edge 43 on the end 33 of the signal-member 32 to strike against the latch 21 and cause the latch to swing to one side beyond the end 33 of the signal-member and also swing the armature 26 with it. As soon as the end 33 has passed upward beyond the latch 21, the magnetism of the poles 23 and 24, which are continuously attracting the armature 26, causes the latter to swing back to its normal position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 to bring the latch 21 beneath the end 33. Upon releasing the signal-member 32, it thereupon comes to rest with its end 33 resting upon the latch 21 and with the lower non-indicating portion of the signal 36 showing through the holes 4i and 42.

The signal-member 32 may be swung upwardly to reset the signal 36 by any suitable means, one such means comprises the extension of the pivotshaft 30 extended to the back of the clock and provided with the finger-grip surface 3| thereon by which it may be readily rotated to swing the signal-member 32 upward to latched position.

Another mode of swinging the signal-member 32 to latched position comprises providing a push-member 44 which may carry a nut 45 secured at the lower end by solder or other means, and in which nut is threadedly engaged a small thumb-screw 46, which extends through a slot 41 in the dial 18. The push-bar 44 extends upwardly through the slot [2 and is provided with a forked or slotted upper end 48, having the slot 49 which is guided by the annular groove 50 in a pillar l5, and has a double-reverse bend 5| at its upper end, the outer end 52 of which is adapted to engage under the edge of the signal-member 32 to swing the latter upwardly about its pivot when the thumb-screw 4B is grasped and slid upwardly for this purpose.

On releasing the thumb-screw 46, the latter, together with the push-bar 44, descends and permits the signal-member 32 to come to rest with its end 33 resting upon the latch 21, with the signal 36 in non-indicating position. If desired, both resetting members 3| and 44 may be provided on a clock.

Due to the fact that the armature 26 is pivoted to swing in a plane approximately parallel to the adjacent end faces of the poles 23 and 24 and spaced away from the faces of the poles, there is a much smaller difference between the distances of the ends of the armature from the pole-faces in the various positions the armature occupies, with a consequent smaller difference in magnetic pull between the armature and polefaces in the various positions of the armature, than if the armature were mounted to swing directly away from and toward the pole-faces.

It will also be observed from Fig. 3 that an imaginary line extending between the centers of the pole-faces 23 and 24 will pass a substantial distance below the pivot-shaft 25. As a result of this, the fluctuations or alternations of the alternating' electric current will exert a pull downwardly on both ends of the armature 26 in the same direction as the action of gravity upon the armature, thus avoiding any likelihood of any humming action taking place in the pivot-journals of the pivot-shaft 25, due to shaking of the pivots therein.

This mounting of the armature in the manner described permits the use of a very light armature, only slightly unbalanced about the pivot-shaft, and this, together with the latch 21 and separate signal-member 32 to be held by the latch permits of making the signal-member also of very light material, thus providing a very sensitive signal-mechanism.

The invention may be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

1. In combination, a time-instrument normally driven by an electric motor, a pivoted signal movable to indicating and non-indicating positions, a signal-control member behind the general plane of said signal and including an armature and pivoted to swing on an axis substantially parallel to the pivot axis of the signal, elec tromagnetic means having a pole normally holding said signal-control member in latching position, said electromagnetic means being located behind the plane of swing of said armature and actuated by electric current from the source which actuates the electric motor, said signalcontrol member serving when in latching position to hold the signal in non-indicating position, and said signal-control member movable away from latching position upon interruption of the electric current which actuates the motor, whereupon the signal moves to indicating position.

2. In combination, a time-instrument normal- 1y driven by an electric motor, a signal movable to indicating and non-indicating positions, an electromagnet normally energized by electric current from the source which actuates the electric motor, a pivoted signal-control member including an armature, said armature mounted to swing in a plane spaced from the electromagnet and normally acted on by the electromagnet to hold the signal-control member in latching position, the signal-control member serving when in latching position to hold the signal in non-indicating position, said signal-control member movable away from latching position upon interruption oi the electric current which actuates the electric motor and electromagnet, whereupon the signal moves to indicating position.

A u 40 3. in combination, a time-instrument normally driven by an electric motor, a signal movable to indicating and non-indicating positions, an electro-magnet having a pole normally energized by electric current from the source which actuates the electric motor, a pivoted signal-control member including an armature, said armature mounted to swing in a plane spaced from said pole and normally acted on by said pole to hold the signal-control member in latching position, the signal-control member serving when in latching position to hold the signal in non-indicating position, said signal-control member movable away from latching position upon interruption of the electric current which actuates the electric motor and electromagnet, whereupon the signal moves to indicating position.

4. In combination, a time-instrument normally driven by an electric motor, an electromagnet having a pair of spaced poles normally energized by electric current from the source which actuates the electric motor, a pivoted signal-control member including an armature, said armature mounted to swing in a plane spaced beyond the end faces of said poles and having portions adapted to be acted on by said poles to normally hold the signal-control member in latching position, said signal-control member movable away from latching position upon interruption of the electric current which actuates the electric mo tor and electromagnet, and movable back to latching position upon resumption of the electric current.

5. In combination, a time-instrument normally driven by an electric motor, an electromagnet having a pair of spaced poles normally energized by electric current from the source which actuates the electric motor, a signal-control member pivoted on an axis intermediate said poles and including an armature, said armature mounted to swing in a plane spaced beyond the end faces of said poles and having oppositelyextending portions adapted to be acted on by said poles to normally hold said signal-control member in latching position.

6. In combination, a time-instrument normally driven by an electric motor, an electromagnet having a pair of spaced poles normally energized by electric current from the source which actuates the electric motor, a signal-control member pivoted on an axis intermediate said poles and including an armature, said armature mounted to swing in a plane spaced beyond the end faces of said poles and having oppositely-extending portions adapted tobe acted on by said poles to normally hold said signal-control member in latching position, the line connecting the centers of said end faces of the poles being to one side of the pivot axis of the signal-control member.

'7. In combination, a time-instrument normally driven by an electric motor, an electromagnet having a pair of spaced poles normally energized by electric current from the source which actuates the electric motor, a signal-control member pivoted on an axis intermediate said poles and including an armature, said armature mounted to swing in a plane spaced beyond the end faces of said poles and having oppositely-extending portions adapted to be acted on by said poles to normally hold said signal-control member in latching position, the line connecting the centers of said end faces of the poles being below the pivot axis of the signal-control member.

8. In combination, a time-instrument normally driven by an electric motor, a signal pivoted to swing to indicating and non-indicating posiable away from latching position upon interruption of the electric current which actuates the electric motor and electromagnet, whereupon the signal moves to indicatingposition, and means comprising an extension of the signal-pivot and a slidable member adapted to engage the signal,

either said extension or said slidable member being adapted to be actuated for moving the signal back to non-indicating, latch-engaging position.

9. In combination, a time-instrument normally driven by an electric motor, a signal pivoted to swing to indicating and non-indicating positions and having a latch-engaging portion, an electromagnet normally energized by electric current from the source which actuates the electric motor, a pivoted signal-control member including a latch and an armature, said armature normally acted on by the electromagnet to hold the signal-control member in latching position with the latch engaging the latch-engaging portion of the signal to hold the signal in non-indicating position, said signal-control member movable away from latching position upon interruption of the electric current which actuates the electric motor and electromagnet, whereupon the signal moves to indicating position, and means comprising a slidable member adapted to engage the signal for moving the signal back to non-indicating, latch-engaging position.

ARTHUR B. POOLE. 

